Paddle Boarding Basic Technique for Beginners

Paddle boarding wasn’t officially documented as a water sport until recent years but it got popular very soon. Now you can see a lot of participants in the sport on open waters. Stand up paddle boarding is a great alternative for recreational activity on weekends or vacations. To have fun with the sport, you can either choose to go alone or with your family and friends. And you don’t have to worry about paddleboarding being too hard to learn for you or your family because it’s one of the easiest sports to learn in the world. As long as you master the basic SUP skills, which is easy, you should have no problem enjoying the fun of the sport. Here are some practical stand up paddle boarding skills for rookie SUPers. They should be able to help you quickly master the craft and soon enjoy the sport.

Paddle Boarding Basic Technique

1. How long the paddle should be

The length of the paddle is important to your SUP experience. If you use an adjustable paddle, here’s how long your paddle should be. Hold the paddle vertically, open the clip on the paddle and extend the top of the paddle all the way up until your arm is slightly bent.

2. How to stand on the paddle board

This basic technique for paddle boarding sounds easy but it could actually be a problem for certain SUP riders. To stand up steadily on the board, there are certain procedures you should follow. First, hop on the board with both your knees and hands on the board and hold the paddle in your hands to use it as a balance tool. And then to get up, first set one foot in front, and then the other follows. And stand up slowly and steadily. The most ideal position to stand on your paddle board is the center. Standing too close to or far away from the head of the paddle board would make the board unnecessarily wobbly when you perform a stroke. Some beginners might stop in the middle with bent legs because they are having problems finding balance. It’s an awkward position for balancing as well as paddling. Try to stand straight as fast as possible or else you will fall. After standing up, look forward and try looking at the horizon or something stable.

3. How to perform a stroke.

A lot of beginners hold the paddle wrong the first time. The right way to hold a paddle is angled forward. That way you get the most power from your stroke. After you set off, paddle on one side 5 to 7 times and switch to the other side. Don’t take the stroke too far away from the side of your paddle board or else it’s going to change the direction of your board. If you want to go straight, just pull the paddle in a straight line. Put the whole blade into the water to get the full power of a stroke.

4. How to turn the paddleboard

This basic technique for paddle boarding might be a little hard for beginners. If you want to take a turn, first move your feet one to two steps back to get the nose to go up higher. That way you can turn and maneuver the board more easily. When taking a turn to one side, start paddling from back to front on that side or front to back on the other side, and keep the stroke a little bit away from the board to make the turn faster.

5. What to do when the water gets rough

If the water gets choppy with wind during your SUP session, just get back on your knees until it passes. And be sure to attach the leash to your leg to avoid the paddle board getting away from you after you fall into the water.

These are the basic SUP skills that paddle boarding rookies could use. If you don’t know how to paddle board, these tips should be able to help. And always make sure you don’t go against the water when making your way back. Also, a good stand up paddle board is important to your paddle boarding experience. You don’t want your SUP board to be damaged after taking a ride on whitewater or hitting the rock or other sharp objects in the water. Here Goosehill SUP Board offers the Rainbow R inflatable stand up paddle board for standup paddle boarding enthusiasts who seek adventures on their paddle board. The Goosehill Rainbow R inflatable SUP board is one of the most high-quality and durable all-around paddleboards under $600.

If you are stuck for a nice place for stand up paddle boarding, there are a lot of wonderful spots in America. Try stand up paddle boarding in San Diego, Hawaii, and Lake Tahoe. These are the best places to find a fine SUP spot. And there are more places to be discovered.